Monday, November 11, 2013

[Veterans and the drain on our society] My grandfather joined the army in his mid 30s and left a young family because he felt he had to to preserve the American way of life and the world’s threat of Fascism and the threats to our security at home. My father was drafted and had no choice. Neither of them ever used any veterans benefits nor did they ask for anything for their service to our country. But I know guys who farted around on Coast Guard vessels in lake Michigan and smoked a bunch of weed in Key West while guys got their asses shot off in Vietnam. I fail to see why we should honor veterans who are a drain on the VA system of free health care when they joined because it was a choice between jail or the navy. I see a distinct difference. Happy Veterans Day!

Look at this cop car parked in a no parking spot at a local church. I know the sign is hard to read in this picture. Maybe the cop had a hard time reading it too

[Sin Sity in the Sea] Key West does not have a majority of Christians so I would like to offer this new logo phrase for Key West.

[“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”] The Syrian war is nothing but a power play involving sectarian factions who will try to subjugate the other factions if they win. They don’t play nice with one another and that is the reason Assad should be left in power and the US should support his brutal regime. There will be greater instability if another sectarian group gains power and brutalizes the others. Sectarian areas need iron fisted leaders like Assad (although I, as an American, hate him). If any other sectarian group gains power the country and possibly the region will degrade further instead of getting better. The Mideast is a totally different world than we recognize.

[Freedom of Information is Not Free] Dr. Murray, The information provided below is in response to the four inquiries you made over the weekend.  Breakdown of costs:
1 McPherson to Dawkins: 93 emails, estimating $25
2 McPherson to Porter: 773 emails, estimating $200
3 Porter to McPherson: 1,115 emails, estimating $285
4 Dawkins to McPherson: 158 emails, estimating $40

Gentlemen: I call your attention to the following email which I received from the District “point person” with regard to Public Records Requests.  I ask that you particularly note the now infamous list of 52 exemptions for withholding documents from public review “a non-comprehensive list of exemptions that the district staff has used in the past when reviewing records….”  I guess it could be worse. Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door at Wittenberg.  

The question that I asked if I am to pay for the review is, which of the 52 exemptions applies to the records of the School District?  The answer that I received is all of them and possibly more since the list is “non-comprehensive”.  (Perhaps “incomprehensive” would be a more accurate term.)

Gentlemen, I have reviewed the list and urge that you do so as well.  Is the District serious?  Your review of front office email exchanges would include the 4 exemptions accorded the FIGA and FLHIGA Boards of Directions, Exemptions Y,Z, AA and BB.  (Does anyone reading this here or in the District know what the initials FIGA and FLHIGA stand for?  I don’t.)  Your review would include 5 exemptions pertaining to bail bondsmen, Exemptions MM-QQ.

My review of the exemptions indicates that 2 and only 2 unequivocally apply to School District records, a. Examination questions and answer sheets and c. Social Security numbers of state employees.   The Social Security number exemption can be addressed with a software program much like the Monroe County Clerk of the Court uses which precludes any human involvement.  

I would characterize 7 others as “unlikely exemptions except in  special circumstances”.   
b.  Attorney work product.
d.  Risk Management claim files.
h.  Proceedings and records relative to administrative supervision.
i.  Confidential information obtained by the Healthy Kids Corporation remains confidential.
q.  Records of fraud investigations.
ww.  Risk Management claims evaluations.
xx.  Trade secrets, as defined in Section 812.081FS in possession of the office.

Since what I am requesting is to review emails between the Superintendent and his Director of Assessment and Accountability, are we likely to encounter issues related to Risk Management, trade secrets, attorney work product and so on?  Perhaps in other requests, but not in my case.

In short, I am hard pressed to see what exemptions apply in my situation other than Social Security numbers and even that is unlikely given the records requested.  Claiming the need to review for 52 exemptions sounds like a fishing expedition to drive up costs and encourage me to drop my request.  

In refusing to refine the list of exemptions as requested, we have another example of the District obfuscating, attempting to evade public records law and trying to justify exorbitant charges for review.  To put it in layman’s terms:  “If you can’t dazzle ‘em with brilliance, baffle ‘em with  bs.”  I would suggest that we are continuing down a path toward litigation with all of the angst and expenses that go along.  ~Larry Murray 

I think that Crist post was supposed to be about Christie, the NJ Gov, not the FL one. The fact that NJites hate Christie and that he is going to try to run for Prez is a good sign that America has had it as a free country. Ask the NJ Teachers and medical people about this ton of shiite and who he is ‘connected’ to! Link

Today in 1918 The Allies and Germany signed an armistice ending World War I and celebrating it as Armistice Day which was later changed to Veteran’s Day.

[Citizen of the Day Says] … his favorite thing about Key West is the people who live here.

[Drudgery] I remember when the promise of new technology was the elimination of drudgery from our lives.  That is a great concept unless you happen to make your living doing drudgery. 

[Marathon Journal] The Journal interviewed Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) Officer Robert Dube at Leigh Ann’s Coffer Shop.

Robert Dube’s short bio is as follows: He was a military brat born at Fort Monmouth. Dube moved to Florida in 1989. He is a graduate from Florida Marine Patrol Academy. He has been on the job for 24 years.

What is FWCC’s current biggest story? The net ban on gillnet has been repealed. Now that is back in courts. Monroe County snook season is open. Stone crab and lobster seasons are doing well.

What are some FWCC’s promotional news items? FWCC is still actively aggressive with trap robbing. Also, there is zero tolerance with boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Boating safety is always key.

What are FWCC’s educational pursuits? Down here in the Keys boating safety checks prevents tragedies. There is the “Ladies, let’s go fishing”. Kids fishing clinics are popular. While we in the Florida Keys think about FWCC patrolling the near shore waters, hunter safety is key up north, central Florida.

Do you have any last thoughts? If you see any violations, please call FWCC. Anonymous calls are accepted. Reporting violations help FWCC and you.

FWCC patrols a large section in the state. Dry Tortugas are always busy. Up north in the middle of the state hunter programs take precedence.

The Journal will interview Monroe County Board Member John Dick next.

[Ozone chemicals ban linked to global warming ‘pause’] Maybe we are trainable. The rate of rise in world temps now thought to be stalled due to the CFC ban. Now if the CO2 and soot were cut too, perhaps the Keys won’t be underwater for the grandkids. Link

[Communication] When a woman says. “When you get a chance …” what she really means is, ‘get off your ass and do it now!”

[Support your local businesses] Small Business Saturday is November 30th. Black Friday is a one day thing. Cyber Monday is a one day thing. Here in Big Pine we don’t follow the days well, just ask our Deer Ed. I am willing to start buying my Christmas gifts early and locally.

Today I got fishing tackle for my grandson at the flea market.
My son will be here for Christmas, we booked him at Palmer’s Resort.
I will promise to do my best to support our local businesses and I hope everyone else will too.
Will everyone please post what local things they buy and offer ideas for everyone to support our local businesses.

Our deer Ed would probably like it if the small businesses supported him, too. I would rather help our local family owned shop than order online. So instead of getting an online present this year, buy something local and tell us about it. We need ideas.

Thanks Big Pine. We love your support. I just wish that I could send our good tomatoes from the flea market up north. They can’t get vine ripened ones now.

[FKAA’s Poor Information] Those at the sewer meeting sponsored by LKPOA last week might recall FKAA’s Director of Engineering claiming they have to use individual grinder pump stations due to DEP requiring a much more elaborate pump station if it is in the right of way. That was not true, of course, or Marathon would not have combined several homes to a single pump in an oversized pit in the right of way.

You may also have learned that FKAA specified a grinder pump for LPS sewer areas that can only pump about half of the rate needed to keep the 2″ collector forcemain in the street from clogging solid. Besides that, the pump only squirts out about 8 gallons at a time each time it runs, which is only for about 40 seconds.

From the FL DEP’s technical reference “Design and Specification Guidelines for Low Pressure Sewer Systems” come these gems:

“Economics tend to favor multiple service per PU (pump) if they are within reasonable proximity.”

“A pressure sewer is normally designed to flow full at all times. In smaller installations there may be relatively long periods of time where no flow will occur. During these periods an opportunity exists for deposition of grease or solids and gas accumulation. The result of these no-flow periods can pose serious problems if subsequent hydraulic conditions are unable to scour the depositions and transport those materials and gas accumulations out of the system.”

“Adequate preventative measures should be taken to avoid the accumulation of gases and air in pressure sewer mains. These include:…3. Proper design to prevent undue retention time of wastes in pressure sewer where biological and chemical activity may produce gases.”

Too bad FKAA didn’t read the DEP’s Design Guidelines before they decided to cover most of Big Pine and much of the other Cudjoe collection area with individual grinder pumps that only have enough capacity to cause serious problems. Somebody needs to save them from themselves and us from them and their idiotic design. Gravity connections for all and “Dump the Pumps!” Here’s a petition: Link 

[United States Marine Corps Birthday] Dear Editor, The success of the ad in the Coconut Telegraph was clear and convincing. We had a packed house for the ceremony. Throughout the evening the crowd continue to flow in abundance at the American Legion. People wanted to take in whatever part of the event that they could. It was an outstanding advertisement. It got the word out far and wide. Please accept our Thanks–John Sullivan 

[“FTR part 3”] I surely am going to use my freedom of choice and avoid trans fats, I do not want to go deaf from ‘hear’ disease! (Nothing personal, just couldn’t resist.)

[Developers] It’s that Balfour Beatty is taking and selling public property and the military is suffering as are the citizens who used to own it. The military is a victim in this as well as we are. They just caved in when Balfour said it wanted to get more money.

For many us who live in or near Cudjoe Gardens, it was a huge disappointment to see the bike path deviate to old US1 instead of following the ocean side of US1. It now becomes a great deal more dangerous and treacherous to cross US1, deviate on the other side to end up at Blimp Road before we can cross US1 again to make a shopping stop at Kickenback. Must we remind planners how many accidents have already occurred at the curve US1 makes in the same area? Given the extra time and effort, it’s likely going to be easier to make the trip on foot and follow the existing narrow path to and from the only convenience story in the area.

Here’s the problem with the ACA website: Old People + Technology = Hilarious

An ethical person – like a politician, banker or lawyer – may know right from wrong, but unlike a politician, a moral person lives it. A Confederate soldier who obviously didn’t own any slaves, when asked by a group of Yankee soldiers why he was fighting, the Rebel replied, “I’m fighting because you’re down here.”

Do you think an Iraqi, Afghani, Syrian, Libyan, Pakistani, etc. would answer similarly today? Homeland is always homeland.

[Veterans Day] Never start an argument with a man who can end your life from another zip code!

[“Vendors Wanted For Dry Tortugas”] The Dry Tortugas are the only nice place left for the tourism department to exploit, pollute and ruin.  After that, your goose is cooked.  You’ll just have fantasy fest and the loud motorcycles and speed boats.  The Keys sure were nice while they lasted and a heartfelt goodbye to a sad ending.  It’s not a good day if you don’t get wet while underwater in paradise.  Cheers

[Sewer Mumbo Jumbo]  If you don’t understand all the facts and figures, don’t worry. The BOCC, some FKAA workers and a whole lot of citizens don’t appear to understand the technical issues involved in this project and can not tell fact from fiction.  

That is what the few who stand to gain the most out of this are banking on.  Know this, what our county is planning to do to us in regards to the sewer system is just plain wrong. Step up!

[Bike Path] I understand getting “into it” on a bicycle is what most hard core bike people like to do and it is very hard to go over the hump if the bike path is full of turns, crosswalks, overhanging tree limbs, or idiots with baby carriages, but to ignore all the time and money put into the International Bike Routes built for the safety of those travelers who know that they were designed for sightseeing not for grand prix racing, should be ingrained into the hard heads who will not use the path and stick to the roads and highways causing dangerous situations between bikers and fifty ton trucks. Come on bikers, the Coalition built the paths for you, so use them and stay off the roads, especially you low riders with recumbent bikes. I hope the cops start ticketing you for your own good.

[Wide Load] Sue fat people for using twice the natural resources of our world like over-loaded trucks!

[“Shortcut”] Where does it say that shortcut is not a roadway or street. There is no sign saying “Private Property” or “No Thru Traffic”. The coppers can kiss my shortcut ass in court!

Never attribute to malice that which can easily be ascribed to incompetence.  ~Napoleon Bonaparte

[“Landfill’s methane into natural gas”] Thank God the Danes did it before their Mt Trashmore blew up!

Happy 238th Birthday Marines! The Warrior Song – Hard Corps

[“Mac’s only redeeming feature is the ability to run multiple operating systems seamlessly”] This really is true. If you purchase Parallels you can jump seamlessly and quickly between Windows (XP or Win 7) and OS X in a flash. You can’t do that with Windows!

[“Mac’s only redeeming feature”] You’re not impressing anybody. I recall saving programs on paper tape.

[Substance Abusers] Let chronic substance users kill themselves. They seem to have a deathwish and resist all help even when very critically ill, just to make sure their opportunity for another fix is maximised. You might have known or loved these people before they became afflicted, but believe me when I say, don’t waste your effort. There was a time where the downs, jonesings or hangovers served as a warning from the body, they continued poisoning themselves anyway. So if they don’t care, why should you? Let them dial 911 themselves and check into rehab. Don’t waste one iota more effort than that. They have to want to live and if deep down they don’t want too, then there is nothing you can do to change it. Let them die and save your resources for those more deserving as the afflicted are just going to hate, burn, lie, con, steal, incriminate and use all your good will. Anyone with an addiction — lose them, make new friends.

[Captain Doom and Gloom] “Concessions at Dry Tortugas National Park” Go ahead and f**k up another part of Paradise, you creeps!

“Downsizing” To deduce the size of one’s estate to ground level by removing the stilts.

[“Welfare not for the well”] (First thanks for the Veteran poster’s service.) Second I agree with you about our Government hand out programs but I want to warn you (for your health) to forget it. It is never going to change because there are way too many voters that are taking advantage of the freebees to change the system. Obama has guaranteed the Democratic party to be in the White House for the next 50 years or until the dreaded complete destruction of America which is soon coming.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then He is not omnipotent. Is He able, but not willing? Then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is He neither able nor willing? Then why call Him God?  ~Epicurus (c. 341 – c. 270 BC)

[“Satire — Regressives unite”] This was a very well written piece, for a liberal. All fantasy with not a hint of fact. The author of this could really make a living (that means work!) as a writer — of fiction, of course.

P.S. Is the approval rating for Obamacare up to double digits yet?

Volunteers help keep a close eye for illegal immigrants on the border. Video

Regressive hypocrisy #1. Regressives have voted 45 times to get rid of Obamacare and call it the “end of western civilization as we know it”, yet they are so upset that it isn’t working properly and folks can’t access it!

[“Satire — Regressives”] 90% of what you wrote should be done and the rest modified to do better. What this country needs is house cleaning and trash removal!

I think that saying “Happy Veterans Day” falls far short of recognizing the sacrifices that our vets have made. The day is so much more important than that trite saying. Service to our nation in the military is so often painful and tragic. I offer respect and a huge doff of the FTR fedora to every person who has ever served in our military. It is you folks who are responsible for our continuing freedom. It is you folks who have made unimaginable sacrifices so that the rest of us can enjoy freedom of speech and all of the other rights guaranteed in our Bill of Rights. We owe you our freedom. Special thanks to our own family and extended family who have served and are currently in the service of our nation.

Part 2) There were very interesting and illuminative postings yesterday. A couple of them reported anecdotal experiences of posters who had had experiences with people who were gaming, exploiting, the social safety net. The postings reported on people who were pleased to “game” the social safety net. Getting something for nothing is becoming more and more fashionable.

Another posting was labeled “satire”, but should have been tagged as being “sarcasm”. That posting was classic D/L/P demonization of those of us who are of the belief that people should work for a living, perhaps even working two or more jobs if that were necessary to provide sustenance for ourselves and our loved ones. Perhaps flipping burgers, or pushing a broom, or walking dogs, or bagging groceries, or sweating on a construction site in order to earn a paycheck. In short, to be responsible human beings.

The D/L/P belief has become that self-reliance is “un-cool”. The D/L/P folks are selling the belief that an all-powerful government is responsible for your wellbeing.

We folks from the right disagree. We believe that, ultimately, each of us is personally responsible for our own well-being.  We do not argue that a societal safety net is unnecessary, but we do condemn the ever growing number of Americans who use it as a hammock. For far too many Americans, sucking on the public teat has become the preferred lifestyle. The societal safety net has become a hammock crowded with generations of freeloaders sucking on cool drinks with little parasols in them.

For many in the D/L/P crowd, their motives were/are pure. Many of them actually believe that they are committed to the public welfare. But their results are no more effective than throwing an anchor to a drowning person.  During the years of full Democrat governance beginning in 2007, the poverty rate has risen to or exceeded the poverty rates in 1965 when the “Great Society” legislation started the welfare debacle.

The Great Society legislation that was the beginning of our welfare state came into being in 1965.  That’s just a couple of years shy of half a century. It hasn’t worked. It has spawned several generations of people who have chosen to be dependent on the government for their sustenance. We have spawned several generations of persons to whom work is only an inconvenient break between rounds of collecting unemployment compensation. We’ve created generations of families without a father figure because having a father figure in the home decreases the amount of welfare benefits. We’ve created generations of people who eschew marriage because living in marriage decreases welfare benefits. Every one of us knows persons who live this lifestyle. For far too many people the concept and responsibility of “family” is no longer considered worthy.

For far too many of these folks, as soon as a job becomes tiresome and the minimum employment time has been met, find a way to become unemployed and go on unemployment compensation. We are savaging the American work ethic. That’s not sarcasm, it is simply tragic.